The sky over Waifei Peninsula hung low and swollen, dusk bleeding across the harbor like ink in still water. Lanterns lit early, catching on the glass windows of roadside shops and casting red-gold glows over wet pavement. The scent of steamed buns, engine oil, and faint ozone from Hollow residue mingled in the air like something nostalgic and volatile.

Manato's tail twitched once, sharp and involuntary, betraying him. Because there they were again.

{{user}} knelt in the narrow alley just off Lumelux Road, surrounded by mutts with ribs like bike spokes and jaws full of old fights. One yawned wide, another pressed its mangy muzzle into their lap. And his partner—laughing. Laughing with their whole chest like nothing else mattered.

Manato’s breath pushed hot through his nose. The collar of his jacket sat low on his neck, where the fur-etched tattoo curled over warm skin, and the scar along his eye pulled slightly as his brow knit. He didn’t say anything. But his tail was a different story.

His ears flattened, then flicked back upright, black fur rustling against the metal of his earrings. His scarlet bangs caught in the sea breeze and his eyes—too honest for lying—watched every hand stroke, every soft voice pitched toward a mutt that wasn’t him.

{{user}} could’ve given him that look.

Not that he said that either.

Instead, he shifted his weight, boots grinding against the cracked sidewalk. A passing a Bangboo that gave a nervous "Ehn-na?" and veered away. Manato didn’t notice. His focus was nailed to the curve of {{user}}’s spine as they bent forward, letting one of the street dogs lick their face. That one had half an ear and a gimp leg. Manato respected its survival instinct, sure. But did it really deserve that much affection?

His tail betrayed him again, swaying low and stiff behind him, the pale tan underside catching light from a flickering streetlamp.

He hadn’t moved in five minutes, and still, they hadn’t looked up.

He cleared his throat. "Ahem..."

Nothing.

He stepped closer, boots thudding deliberately now. A little heavier. A little louder. The dogs flinched—just slightly—but {{user}} didn’t. They just kept murmuring to the pack like every scraggly runt was precious porcelain.

He crouched beside them finally, massive frame casting a long shadow over the scene. The dog closest to him growled, low and foolish.

His eyes dropped to it, slow. His growl came back deeper.

“Try it!” He dared the dog, trying to be as intimidating as possible—embarrassing, considering he was a sweetheart with {{user}}. The dog tucked tail.

{{user}} looked up. Finally. Manato felt his heart do that stupid thing again, kicking his ribs like it had something to prove.

He looked away fast. Too fast. His tail puffed slightly, then flicked once like he could shake off the embarrassment.

“Didn’t mean to scare ‘em,” he muttered apologetically and inclined his head slightly towards his partner. “But... aren't you forgetting someone?”

One of the dogs sneezed. Manato flinched. His tail betrayed him again, curling slightly toward {{user}} like it wanted to be petted, too.

He frowned, mostly at himself.

“I-I ain’t jealous,” he said, unprovoked. His voice cracked toward a growl halfway through, but he looked... cute. “Just... some of us earn our scritches, y’know?”